Mother's Intuition
by asha-21
Summary: Sheridan's nightmares of her "dead" baby return. She is convinced once again that Beth's baby is her own. Will the truth finally be revealed?...lots of twists you won't believe...also an unexpected death. Plz R
1. Nightmares

(**Hey guys!! Since "Trust your Heart" did pretty well, I decided to start another fic. This one's going to be a SHUIS fic. The story takes place about three years from where Passions is right now. Sheridan has gotten back her memory of Luis and the two of them are happily married with a baby girl, Emma. Beth still has Baby Martin, as Luis and Sheridan continue to believe that their baby is dead. This time I'm going for a more adventurous storyline, so plz r&r and tell me what you think.**)  
  
CH. 1  
  
"Don't worry sweetheart," Sheridan whispered. "You're back in mommy's arms. No one will ever hurt you again. Just remember that I will always love you no matter what happens." Sheridan lovingly rocked the newborn in her arms, as tears slowly rolled down her cheek. "Even though mommy may not always be with you, whenever you feel alone or scared, just snuggle underneath your blankets and feel my loving arms around you. I love you so much sweetheart."  
  
She gently rubbed the baby's soft skin as he slowly settled down.  
  
"Alright, that's enough!" A cold and evil voice barked. "Time to hand over the baby!"  
  
"No! Please, just a little while longer." Sheridan begged the stranger. "The little darling has finally calmed down!"  
  
"I don't care! The least time he spends with you the better, especially since you're never going to see him again!" The woman smirked. "Now hand over the baby!"  
  
Sheridan tried to hold on to the delicate infant but the woman's strong arms snatched him away.  
  
"No!" She screamed. "Give me back my baby! Give him to me!"  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
"Give him to me, give me my baby!" Sheridan Lopez- Fitzgerald jumped up from her bed in a cold sweat.  
  
"Sheridan what's wrong?" Luis opened his eyes. "Are you alright?"  
  
Sheridan adjusted her eyes to the dark room, slowly looking over at her husband.  
  
"What happened? Where's my baby?" Sheridan could feel her heart pounding in her chest.  
  
"Honey, Emma's sleeping in her crib." Luis rolled over and turned on the lamp beside the bed, wiping the sweat off of his wife's forehead.  
  
"Emma?" Sheridan repeated her daughter's name, as she struggled to remember her recent nightmare. "No, my baby! The woman took my baby! We have to get him back!" Sheridan tried to get out of the bed but Luis stopped her.  
  
"Sheridan, listen to me!" he tried to calm her down, sadly looking into her eyes. "The baby is not here. Sheridan he died. He's not coming back honey."  
  
"No Luis, he's not dead! He's alive and I have to go get him!" Sheridan struggled from Luis's strong arms. "Luis, let go! We have to save our baby!"  
  
Luis hated reminding Sheridan of their baby's death. He thought that she had finally accepted that their baby had been killed in a car that flew over the bridge, but obviously she still had not fully recovered from the trauma.  
  
"Sheridan, you have to stop this. Our baby died three years ago." He gently rubbed her head. "I miss him too sweetheart, but we have to accept that he's gone."  
  
"My baby," Sheridan finally gave up, crying into Luis's arms. "I miss him so much."  
  
Luis held his sobbing wife.  
  
"I know you do Sheridan." He gently kissed her. "I know." 


	2. Past Mistakes

CH 2.  
  
"Mother!" Beth Wallace called. "Mother, where did you put Martin's bottle?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know? I'm just a poor old lady living with her psycho daughter." Edna Wallace rolled her walker into the living room. "Besides you're the baby's mother." She slapped her forehead. "Oh wait, how could I forget? You're not!"  
  
"Shut up Edna." Beth rolled her eyes in disgust, reaching behind the couch. "Found it!"  
  
She went to the kitchen and washed the bottle out, before turning to her mother.  
  
"You know, you'd be more useful around here if you'd put a cork in it once in a while!" She filled the bottle with milk and brought it over to three year-old Martin.  
  
"No way Bethie! Someone around here has to remind you of how CRAZY you really are, because sometimes you seem to think otherwise!" Edna took a seat in the couch. "I mean, just look at you! Here you are raising this beautiful boy on your own, while Luis is probably at this moment in bed making sweet love to Sheridan."  
  
Beth bit her bottom lip in anger.  
  
"Shut up Mother!" she cried. "I will get Luis back. He's just sidetracked because that bitch Sheridan got her memory back. But Luis cannot deny his parental duties. He owes it to Martin to be a full-time father to him. Sooner or later he will see that, and then the three of us can be a happy family!"  
  
"Oh, merciful angels!" Ms Wallace looked up to the ceiling. "Help my delusional daughter! She actually believes that Luis loves her, but what she doesn't realize is that he is forever going to love Sheridan." She walked over to Beth and cupped her chin. "Can't you see Beth? Luis will never love you because you are C-R-A-Z-Y crazy! And now that Sheridan and Luis have that gorgeous daughter of theirs, there is no way that he will ever look your way again!"  
  
"Mother I swear to God, if you don't shut up I'm going to kill you!" Beth pulled away from her mother's grip.  
  
"Oh, you mean like you tried to kill Sheridan?" Edna mocked. "You had that poor woman in that cold and dark basement for how long, leaving her in the care of psycho-path Charlie Horse to give birth to that beautiful bambino. Then if that wasn't enough, you dumped her life-less body into the ocean and left her to die! Thank heavens Luis's love guided him to her and he saved her just in the nick of time!" Edna chuckled. "When will you get it through that thick head of yours, that no matter what you do Luis and Sheridan will ALWAYS be together!"  
  
"Dammit!" Beth yelled in frustration. "Why can't I just get rid of her? Luis is supposed to be with me, not that blonde bitch!"  
  
Ms Wallace put two hands over Martin's ears.  
  
"You mind keeping the cursing to minimum? Innocent ears are listening! Then again, you wouldn't know the first thing about being a good parent."  
  
"Oh and you do?" Beth laughed. "You were the worst mother ever to me! Of all people you should be the last person talking about good parenting. All you ever did was go out and sleep with God knows who. It's a surprise that I even came out alright!"  
  
"Ha! What an understatement. You are far from being alright!" Edna chuckled to herself. "Of all the evil things that you have done to that poor sweet Sheridan, I'm surprised the cops haven't already locked you up! But don't you worry Bethie, sooner or later everyone will find out what you've done and then you will spend the rest of your pathetic life rotting in prison!"  
  
"You know what mother? This little song of yours is really getting old. You have been telling me for the longest time that I will eventually get caught for what I've done, but so far nobody even suspects it. I almost got away with cold-murder and no one knows a single thing." Beth laughed.  
  
"Have you forgotten about Gwen Winthrop missy?" Ms Wallace reminded her daughter. "That girl has got you hot on her trial. I can't wait for the day when she exposes you for the loco that you really are!"  
  
"I don't have to worry about Gwen! Alistair made sure that Dr. Culver never tells her about my fake-pregnancy. And now that Sheridan has gotten back her memory and is out of the psyche ward, there is no reason for Gwen to start snooping around again!" Beth laughed. "I am so glad that Alistair is on my side!"  
  
"Ughh, I will never understand why that man is helping you. He is the most evil man that I have ever come across. You better pray to God Bethie that you do not upset him in anyway, because if he can be so cruel to his own daughter, who knows what he will do to you."  
  
Beth bit her bottom lip nervously. She always did wonder why Alistair had been so cooperative in the past. After all, he did pretend to be Charlie and help her try to kill Sheridan. Alistair was an unusual man, but boy was she glad that he was on her side.  
  
"Whatever Mother, I'm not worried. As long as I still have Martin, Sheridan will forever be miserable and that is the number one way to keep Alistair happy." Beth picked up Martin in her arms. "Martin is the key to getting Luis back. Every time he sees his darling face, he can't help but spend time with him. One of these days he will become so infatuated with him that he will never want to leave, and then all my dreams will come true."  
  
"You are even more loonier than some of the people I watch in my stories." Edna said frustrated, walking over to her daughter and Martin. "This sweet little angel needs to be with his real mother and father, not cooped up in this place with you. Of all people, I should know the effect that single parenting has on a child. Look at how screwed up you turned out?" Edna sobbed.  
  
"Oh please mother, the only reason why you had to raise me as a single parent is because you didn't even know who my father was!" Beth yelled, putting down Martin in his playpen. "If you hadn't slept around with so many men like a god-damn whore, you wouldn't have had that problem!"  
  
"That's not my fault," Ms Wallace pouted. "I couldn't help it if all the dashing young men in Harmony found me so hard to resist." She chuckled, patting her hair.  
  
"Whatever mother!" Beth flopped herself on the couch. "If you wanna blame someone for me being a little wacko, blame yourself and your revolting past!"  
  
Edna secretly knew that her distorted past would eventually catch up with her. Not only did she not know who Beth's father was, but she also hardly remembered the other men that she had slept with. Deep inside she was not proud of her past, but she had prayed and asked God to forgive her of her sins. Who knows, maybe God sent Beth to her as a punishment for all the disgraceful things she had done.  
  
Well he sure knew what he was doing, she thought to herself, because what a punishment Beth's existence was! 


	3. First Steps

CH 3  
  
"Luis, are you sure you know how to work that thing?" Sheridan asked her handsome husband, as he fiddled with the machine. "Camcorders can be pretty tricky to operate."  
  
"Sheridan," Luis looked up at his wife rolling his eyes. "How hard could it be? I've seen Theresa use it millions of times to videotape Ethan, and if she can do it of course I can do it."  
  
Sheridan watched as Luis played with the buttons on the camera.  
  
"Besides, I want to tape every single move that Emma makes. Lately she seems a little fidgety, which means that soon she's probably going to do something spectacular!" Luis smiled over at his daughter playing on the rug.  
  
"Spectacular eh?" Sheridan just smiled at Luis.  
  
She absolutely loved how excited he got around Emma. The day that she was born was probably the happiest day of both of their lives. She had such an inner glow about her that whenever she smiled it could light up an entire room.  
  
"Hey Sheridan, smiiile!" Luis giggled pointing the camera at her.  
  
"Uh Luis, nobody said anything about videotaping me!" She nervously hid her face as Luis came closer to her. "Luis! Oh come on, you know I hate being on camera!"  
  
"Oh c'mon Sheridan, it's just to test it out!" he laughed trying to take Sheridan's hands away so he could get a better shot.  
  
"Ya sure! I know you Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. The next thing you know you're showing this to the whole of Harmony!" she giggled as Luis playfully began poking her in her side.  
  
"I promise I won't." Luis crossed his fingers behind his back. "Just a quick hi to the camera and I swear that'll be it."  
  
"Just a quick hi?"  
  
Luis nodded.  
  
"Ok fine," Sheridan gave up, as she saw an immediate smile appear on Luis's face. "Hiiiiiiiiiii!" she mocked.  
  
"Oh very attractive Sher." Luis smiled rolling his eyes at his wife. "C'mon say something sexy like 'hello all you gorgeous people' in that Marilyn Monroe voice that you do."  
  
"Luis, I'm going to do that!" Sheridan laughed.  
  
"Oh c'mon honey, for me?" Luis gave his best puppy-eyed look, knowing that Sheridan had to cave in.  
  
"Alright!" Sheridan laughed. She really did love that face.  
  
She put on her best Marilyn Monroe face, stared into the camera, batted her eyelids, and pouted her sexy lips.  
  
"Hello, all you gorgeous people!" she laughed blowing a kiss to Luis.  
  
"Oh that was beautiful!" Luis laughed hugging Sheridan, quickly pulling away to aim the camera at her once more.  
  
"Now say, I love you Luis in a REALLY sexy voice!" he giggled excitedly.  
  
"Why am I suddenly the topic of interest?" Sheridan began walking away laughing. "Why don't I tape you!?"  
  
"Oh honey, you don't want to see what I can do in front of a camera." Luis evilly smiled. "We'll save that for later!" he playfully pulled at Sheridan's top.  
  
"Ooooh I can hardly wait." She giggled, as Luis came closer to her for a kiss.  
  
"C'mon Sher, say I love you Luis." He smiled kissing the nape of her neck, completely forgetting about the camera.  
  
"Mmmm I love you..." Sheridan began, as her eyes wandered over to the rug. "Emma!"  
  
"Emma?" Luis asked confused. "No, Luis."  
  
"No Luis, look!" she laughed running over to her daughter. "Hurry baby! Get the camera!"  
  
They both watched in amazement, as little Emma wobbly made her way over to the coffee table.  
  
Sheridan ran over to Emma picking her up in her arms.  
  
"Did you get it Luis? Did you get our beautiful daughter taking her first steps!" She laughed twirling Emma in the air, as Luis made his way over to the two of them.  
  
"I sure did!" he laughed kissing his wife and daughter. "Emma, daddy is so proud of you!"  
  
They were laughing and dancing around so much that neither of them heard Pilar knocking on the door.  
  
"Hello?" she slowly entered. "Is anyone home?"  
  
"Oh Pilar, hi!" Sheridan handed Emma over to Luis to go greet her mother-in- law.  
  
"What's all the laughing about?" Pilar hugged Sheridan and made her way over to Luis and Emma.  
  
"Oh Pilar! Emma just took her first steps!" Sheridan squealed happily.  
  
"O my goodness!" Pilar laughed, taking Emma from Luis. "Mi nieta has learned to walk! Oh Mijo you must be so proud!" Pilar turned to her son.  
  
"I am mama." Luis smiled. "Emma is growing up so fast, and with her birthday right around the corner, who knows how long it will be before she starts talking!"  
  
"Ok Luis, maybe you're jumping a little ahead of yourself. Sheridan you may have to watch him, before he puts Emma into little league." Pilar laughed, turning to Sheridan.  
  
Neither Luis nor Pilar noticed Sheridan get suddenly upset. She sadly sat on the couch in complete silence.  
  
"Sheridan, Mija what's wrong?" Pilar put Emma in her playpen, as the two of them made their way over to Sheridan.  
  
"It was just something that Luis said, about Emma growing up so fast." She finally spoke, tears brimming her eyelids. "I just realized that I'm never going to get to see my first baby walk, or talk or go to his first day of school. I'm never going to get to read him a bedtime story or sing him a lullaby." She sobbed. "It's not fair! Why did they have to take my baby away?"  
  
Luis rubbed his temples as he remembered the events of this morning.  
  
"Sheridan, you have to stop doing this to yourself." He gently rubbed her back in attempts to calm her down. "You're only making yourself more upset honey."  
  
"I don't understand." Pilar looked at her daughter-in-law concerned. "Sheridan, how come you're suddenly thinking about your baby boy?"  
  
Luis explained to his mother about the dreams that Sheridan had been having lately about her baby and the woman who had taken him away while she had been captured.  
  
"I know that my baby is sill alive Pilar, I can feel it!" Sheridan placed a hand to her heart.  
  
Luis gave his wife a concerned look before looking over at his mother.  
  
"Sheridan, I know that losing a baby cannot be an easy thing to deal with, but you must try Mija. You not only owe it to yourself, but you also owe it to that beautiful daughter that you have over there. God may have taken your first baby, but he has also blessed you with baby Emma, and she is just an angel come to life." Pilar smiled.  
  
"Oh Pilar, you are so right." Sheridan breathed out a sigh, looking over at her daughter. "I have to be strong for Emma. She's everything to me."  
  
Luis smiled at his wife.  
  
"That's right Sheridan, she is. It's moments like her first steps that we have to cherish; because you know first hand that life is precious. I miss our baby too, but every time I look into Emma's face I can see that he lives on in her." Luis kissed Sheridan's temples as she smiled up at him.  
  
"Oh, Mijo that was beautiful." Pilar grinned at Luis.  
  
"Well, you know what's even more beautiful?" Luis got up and went over to the playpen to pick up his daughter. "The fact that our daughter is growing up!"  
  
He handed Emma to Sheridan, and walked over to the cabinet taking out three glasses and a bottle of champagne.  
  
"We should definitely celebrate this occasion!" he laughed filling up the glasses and handing them to Pilar and Sheridan. "A toast to our beautiful daughter! May we always cherish moments like this, to Emma!"  
  
"To Emma!" Sheridan and Pilar said in unison, as they all raised their glasses happily. 


	4. Unforgiven

CH 4  
  
"To Emma indeed," Alistair Crane smiled, as he watched the monitor in his expensive-looking office. "That little tyke will never know that she had a big brother." He chuckled to himself. "In fact, she won't even know that her big brother is actually alive and going by the name of little Martin."  
  
Suddenly the door knocked, and in walked one of Alistair's attractive assistants.  
  
"Good afternoon Mr. Crane. Here are the files you wanted on Sheridan." The beautiful blonde handed the folder to Alistair and took a seat on his desk exposing her long slender legs.  
  
"Thank you Heather my dear. I have to review Sheridan's files to see if I can get Ackland to give her a drug to make her forget about that baby she lost."  
  
"But I thought Sheridan believed that her baby was dead." Heather looked at him confused.  
  
"She did, but now she's beginning to remember the events of when Beth and myself, as Charlie, kidnapped her and threw her in the pit. Damn that daughter of mine!" Alistair pounded his fist on his desk.  
  
"Well what are you going to do if she remembers?"  
  
"She can't! Sheridan must never make the connection between baby Martin and her own baby. It would ruin everything!" Alistair stared at the monitor coldly.  
  
"That's right. If Sheridan figures out that Baby Martin is really HER baby with Luis, it's only a matter of time before she figures out that you helped Beth to steal her baby. Who knows what Luis will do when he finds that out?" Heather bounced her leg up and down. "But wait a minute, didn't you and Dr. Ackland give Sheridan that drug to help her forget about Luis? How come they're suddenly married? And where's Antonio?"  
  
"Well, obviously that drug wasn't enough, and Luis made Sheridan remember everything from their past. My poor boy Antonio couldn't stand to be near his brother after that, so he moved back to Bermuda." Alistair lit a cigar. "I really wanted those two Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers to go at it. At least then I could guarantee that one of them would be dead."  
  
"I feel sorry for Sheridan though." Heather looked at the pretty blonde on the monitor. "I can't imagine having to deal with thinking that my baby was dead when in fact he was alive. At least she can enjoy some moments with her new daughter Emma. You can see how much that little girl means to her and Luis."  
  
"That little girl was never supposed to come." Alistair tightened his grip around his cigar.  
  
"What do you mean?" Heather asked.  
  
"That new drug that I got Ackland to give Sheridan last year, was suppose to make her infertile. Even if her and Luis got back together, they would never be able to conceive another child. But again the drug didn't work, and now my daughter and that hotheaded husband of hers have Emma. Damn that Ackland! I am losing my patience with that man!" Alistair angrily stabbed the remains of his cigar into the astray.  
  
"I don't understand. Why are you always going out of your way to make Sheridan so unhappy?"  
  
"Heather dear, there are so many things that you do not know." Alistair smiled up at the beautiful blonde. "Why don't you go downstairs and let Fox know that I would like to discuss his trust fund with him later."  
  
"Yes Mr. Crane." Heather bounced off the desk and left the office.  
  
Alistair turned to the monitor and watched coldly as Sheridan, Luis and Pilar continued to happily play with baby Emma.  
  
"Damn you Sheridan! How dare you think that you can be happy after what you did." He said to himself. "If you weren't born, my sweet Katherine would still be alive and well. You have caused me so much pain, and for that I will never stop until you have endured the worst pain of your life. If trying to erase your memory, having you killed numerous times and stealing your baby hasn't worked, by God I will find a way to ruin you." He chuckled loudly.  
  
You enjoy your time with Emma, Alistair thought to himself. You will never know that your real son is still alive. I will do everything in my power to make sure that Beth's secret is not revealed.  
  
He kept his cold stare on Sheridan.  
  
"You will never know." 


	5. A Day At The Park

CH 5  
  
"Ok, Martin I spy with my little eye something that is blue." Beth happily pushed the stroller, as she entered the park with her mother and baby Martin. "Can you find something that's blue sweetie?"  
  
Beth watched as Martin excitedly pointed to a blue toy truck on his shorts.  
  
"That's right honey! That truck is blue." She smiled taking him out of the stroller. "You are so good at this game."  
  
Ms. Wallace took a seat on a nearby bench, and watched her daughter and the toddler.  
  
"I spy with my little eye something that is E-V-I-L, and it's you Bethie." She mumbled.  
  
"Shut up Edna." Beth shot her mother a look. "There is nothing wrong with a mother happily playing a game with her beautiful son."  
  
"Uh, excuse me yooo-hoo! You are not Martin's mother!" Ms Wallace reminded her daughter.  
  
"Ya well, the last time I heard, that's what he was calling me." Beth smiled rubbing suntan lotion on Martin's arms.  
  
"The only reason that Little Martin is calling you that is because he doesn't know who is real mama is." Ms Wallace spat, moving closer to Beth's ear. "But every time that Sheridan is near, that little bambino senses her and even you see how he quickly bonds with her."  
  
"Whatever mother," Beth rolled her eyes. "The only reason why he bonds with her is because of when she used to breast feed him. Besides, Martin is using his bottle now, so he doesn't need her and her breasts. Furthermore, I don't have to worry about my darling bonding with her, because as you can see Sheridan isn't here!"  
  
Beth turned back to Martin, ignoring her mother's sly remarks.  
  
"Ok honey, here's another one." She cleverly looked around for another clue. "I spy with my little eye something that is---"  
  
"Dadda!" Martin squealed excitedly as he spotted Luis coming near to them.  
  
"Hey buddy!" Luis picked up Martin and gave him a hug as he approached them. "How's my little guy doing?"  
  
"Luis! What are you doing here?" Beth asked, immediately beginning to fix her hair at the sight of him.  
  
Ms. Wallace nudged her in her side.  
  
"Don't bother." She whispered. "Luis never cared for how you looked in the past, and he certainly isn't going to start now."  
  
"Oh hey Beth," Luis smiled over at her and Ms Wallace. "Sheridan and I decided to bring Emma out for a nice afternoon in the park."  
  
"Sheridan's here?" Beth angrily pouted.  
  
She really didn't feel like seeing blondie, especially now that she finally had the chance to spend some time with Luis and Martin. But sure enough, Beth spun around and saw Sheridan approaching them with baby Emma in her stroller.  
  
"Hi everyone!" She beamed. "Beth I didn't know you were going to be here! Hi Ms Wallace."  
  
"Hello honey," Ms Wallace grinned at the beautiful blonde. "Don't you just look radiant!" Ms Wallace admired Sheridan's white flower print skirt and tank top.  
  
"Thank you." Sheridan smiled, as her eye immediately cast on Martin standing beside Beth. "Oh, is that Martin! He's gotten so big!"  
  
Beth vengefully watched as Sheridan made her way over to Martin.  
  
"You look so cute in your little shorts!" She smiled, almost mesmerized by the sight of the tyke. She gently rubbed her fingers over his soft skin, and gave Beth a concerned look. "Beth did you make sure to put suntan lotion on Martin? The sun will surly burn his tender skin."  
  
"Yes Sheridan," Beth snapped at her. "I think I know how to take care of my own son."  
  
Beth's sharp words snapped Sheridan back to reality.  
  
"Oh yes," She sadly smiled. "He is your son isn't he? I'm sorry Beth, I guess I'm just so attached to the little guy from when I used to breast- feed him." Sheridan apologized, not taking her eyes off Martin.  
  
"That's alright Sheridan honey. Everyone can see the connection that you two share!" Ms Wallace grinned receiving a hard nudge from Beth.  
  
"Hey everybody!" Theresa Lopez- Fitzgerald Crane called approaching the group carrying baby Maggie, with Fox close behind with Little Ethan. "Looks like it's going to be a party at the park today!"  
  
"Hey sis," Luis laughed, giving Theresa a kiss. "Is this my little niece getting so big?" He gently rubbed Maggie's cheek.  
  
"Hey Theresa, Fox, Little Ethan how are you guys?" Sheridan hugged them.  
  
"We're great, but you can't call Ethan 'Little Ethan' anymore." Theresa winked at her son. "He's going to be starting grade three soon so he's not so little anymore."  
  
"Yeah, and he can't stop talking about it too." Fox laughed playfully rubbing Ethan's hair.  
  
"Wow, everyone is growing up so fast!" Sheridan smiled. "Ethan's starting grade three soon, Maggie's already getting so big, Martin is already three, and my little Emma's turning one in a couple days. Where does the time go?"  
  
"Tell me about it. But we're all going to get a chance to catch up at Emma's birthday." Theresa smiled down at her niece.  
  
"That's right, and you all better be there!" Sheridan giggled.  
  
"Ok, enough chit-chat." Fox announced. "I promised Ethan we'd play some ball. Hey Luis why don't you bring Martin, and us boys can have some manly fun!" Fox laughed, as Theresa rolled her eyes.  
  
"Manly fun?" Theresa looked up at her husband.  
  
"Yup, and this can give you ladies a chance to catch up and talk about whatever women talk about." Fox winked at them, and gave his wife and daughter a kiss.  
  
As the four boys ran off, Sheridan, Beth, Ms Wallace and Theresa sat down on the bench to talk.  
  
"Well someone's tired." Sheridan smiled at Maggie fast asleep in Theresa's arms.  
  
"Oh yeah, she sleeps now and is up all night long!" Theresa moaned. "I don't know how I'm ever going to get used to these morning calls, and afternoon calls, and night calls! It's funny I don't remember Ethan being this much trouble when he was a baby."  
  
"Don't worry Theresa, it'll get easier." Sheridan laughed." They're always a lot of trouble when they are small. And even more trouble when they get bigger." She joked looking over at Luis and Fox play with the two young boys on the monkey bars.  
  
"Tell me about it," Theresa giggled. "I also noticed that I gained a lot of weight since Maggie was born. Fox says he can't see it, but I know he's just saying that."  
  
"Oh yeah, I gained some extra pounds too when I was pregnant with Emma. It's such a pain, but after a while with exercise it goes away." Sheridan looked over at Beth.  
  
"Beth, you've been quiet. I don't remember you gaining any weight when you were pregnant with Martin."  
  
Beth nervously bit her bottom lip, as she felt her mother pinch her.  
  
"That's because you were never pregnant." Ms Wallace whispered in her ear.  
  
"Shut up mother." Beth mumbled underneath her breath, turning to the two women. "Oh, well that's because I used to do a little bit of exercising while he was in my stomach."  
  
"Maybe I should try that, because Beth you don't even look like you gained a pound." Theresa examined Beth.  
  
"Well, Theresa not every woman gains weight when they are pregnant." Beth responded defensively.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Beth. I didn't mean to offend you. I just found it weird that's all." Theresa apologized. "But I guess you're right. Women do have different body types."  
  
As Theresa and Sheridan continued talking, Ms. Wallace pulled Beth aside.  
  
"You may have talked your way out of that one missy, but I wouldn't get too excited if I were you." Beth pouted as her mother continued. "You see, soon people will start to realize that you know nothing about what it is like to have a baby. You can never relate to the morning calls, or the weight gain or any of that because you were never pregnant. And soon everyone will start to put the pieces together and you my evil daughter will finally be exposed!"  
  
"I don't have to worry mother because no one will find out." Beth tightly held her mother's arm. "You certainly are not going to tell because if you do, you will find yourself eating puréed peas in the worst nursing home I could possibly find."  
  
Ms. Wallace pouted as she tore her arm away from Beth's grasp.  
  
"I just feel sorry for that little Martin. If he has to stay in the care of a psycho like you, then he has more and more chances of getting hurt." Ms Wallace whimpered.  
  
"Martin is fine and he is not going to get hurt because I'm a good mother, unlike someone I know." Beth coldly stared at her mother.  
  
Beth was suddenly interrupted by an agonizing scream in the distance. She looked up at the horrifying sight of the toddler's lifeless body lying on the pavement below the monkey bars.  
  
"Martin!" 


	6. What's Wrong With Martin?

CH 6  
  
Luis barged through the Harmony Hospital Emergency doors carrying Martin in his arms, as everyone else followed close by.  
  
"We have an emergency here! I need a doctor!" Luis frantically ran to the reception desk.  
  
"What happened?" A nurse approaching them asked.  
  
"He fell off the monkey bars at the park." Luis could barely speak. "I think he broke his leg. He got cut. I don't know how though. Please hurry! He's slipping in and out of consciousness!"  
  
"Ok put him in here." The nurse guided Luis to an empty room, as he laid Martin's lifeless body on the bed. "I'll call Dr. Russell right away."  
  
In a short while Eve Russell rushed to the room.  
  
"Luis, Beth, what happened?" She immediately began examining Martin, as she gained information from Beth and Luis.  
  
"I don't know Eve. One minute we were playing and the next minute he yelled out! We didn't know he was at the edge!" Luis nervously tried to explain things to Eve.  
  
"Ok, it looks like he may have fractured his knee, and somehow he got cut. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait outside so the doctors can examine him further. I'll be out shortly to tell you what's going on." Dr Russell motioned everyone to leave the room, as she closed the curtains behind her.  
  
"Eve you have to save him!" Beth called from behind the curtain. She turned to Luis as he embraced her. "Luis, we can't lose Martin!"  
  
Luis just held her completely motionless.  
  
"This is all my fault." He stared into space, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "I should have been watching him."  
  
"Hey Luis, don't do this to yourself man." Fox put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm just as much to blame. If I wasn't so busy playing with Ethan, I would have noticed the little guy approaching the edge."  
  
"No, Fox. This was not your fault. Neither yours Luis." Theresa stood in between the two men. "It was an accident. Right now we just have to pray that he's going to be ok."  
  
"My baby, they have to save my baby." Sheridan mumbled staring at the closed curtain. She quickly realized what she had said, as everyone stared at her concerned.  
  
"Sheridan, you mean Beth's baby right?" Theresa slowly walked over to Sheridan.  
  
"Oh, yes I mean Beth's baby. They have to save him."  
  
"Luis!" Ethan and Gwen called from down the hall quickly approaching them.  
  
"Oh Luis, is he alright?" Gwen asked, giving him a hug. "We came as soon as we heard." She walked over to Sheridan and gave her a reassuring squeeze.  
  
"We don't know. Eve said they were going to examine him before she gave us any news." Luis ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Oh Sheridan, you must be torn apart. I know how much Martin means to you." Gwen comforted her friend.  
  
"Damn Sheridan," Beth whispered to her mother. "Martin is my child, and everyone is acting as if he's hers!"  
  
"Uh duh, that's because he is hers!" Ms Wallace spat.  
  
"But they don't know that!" Beth quietly cried. "I can't lose Martin! He's my only key to ever getting Luis back!"  
  
"Evil, evil girl! All you care about is getting Luis, when that poor little bambino is fighting for his life! You should be locked up Beth, locked up!" Ms Wallace cried.  
  
"Alright everyone. Here's what's going on."  
  
Everyone turned around and gathered around, as Eve appeared through the curtains.  
  
"We have a very serious case on our hands. Martin must've had a pretty hard fall because he has managed to fracture his left knee. There also must have been glass near by because there is a deep wound on his leg. From the x- rays we found bits of bone cartilage that have broken off into his knee joint."  
  
"What does all this mean Eve?" Luis asked.  
  
"It means that we're going to have to do surgery on him. We have to get that cartilage out from the joint space before it causes an infection. It's not a complicated procedure so everything should go smoothly. Since he is so small though, he has lost a lot of blood, so we may have to do a blood transfusion."  
  
"Oh my poor Martin," Beth cried, holding on to Luis.  
  
"Normally this would not be as serious, but in Martin's case it's more fragile. Remember Martin was a very sick baby when he was first born, so his immune system is very weak. Which means it could take him a longer time to heal. Right now we need to hurry and start the surgery. The worst thing that could happen right now is ---"  
  
Eve was suddenly interrupted by the sound of loud beeping coming from Martin's room.  
  
"What's happening?" Luis quickly ran over to his son's room.  
  
"Oh boy, it's what I didn't want." Eve checked the monitor above Martin's bed. "He's got a fever and it's rising. We have to get this fever down or it could complicate the surgical procedure." Eve turned to the nurse in the room. "Nurse Linda I need a dosage of paracetamol right away."  
  
"What is that?" Beth asked.  
  
"Paracetamol is a painkiller used to lower raised temperatures. I'm going to give Martin a dosage of it. Hopefully it can bring down his fever. But we need to start on the surgery as soon as possible. I'm going to check my files to see if we have a match for Martin's blood transfusion, and as soon as we do we can start the procedure. But once again I need you all to leave. The doctors need as much room as possible in order to work. I'll be right back."  
  
Eve left the room, as everyone went out in the hall.  
  
"What's a blood trans—trans—," Little Ethan fumbled.  
  
"Transfusion?" Fox helped him out. "It's when someone who has lost a lot of blood, needs someone else's blood in order to help them stay strong. But the problem is they need to find a person who has the same type of blood, as the person that's sick, or else everything won't work."  
  
"Do any of us have the same type of blood as Martin?" Little Ethan asked.  
  
"That's a good question." Fox turned to Luis and Beth. "Do you guys know Martin's blood type?"  
  
"No, he's never been in the situation where he needed a blood transfusion, so we're not sure." Luis rubbed his temples. "Damn it! This is so frustrating!"  
  
"Hey Luis, don't worry ok? I'm sure everything will be fine. We just have to keep praying." Ethan comforted him.  
  
Alright everyone," Eve returned. "I just checked over Martin's files and it seems that he has a very rare blood type, Rh positive. This can be a very difficult blood type to match."  
  
"Don't any of us have a match?" Theresa worriedly asked.  
  
"Well so far I've checked Luis's, Beth's, Ethan's, Gwen's and even yours Theresa, but none of you match with Martin. I have one of the nurses checking everyone else's to see if we can find one."  
  
"And what if we can't find one?" Luis nervously asked.  
  
"Well then we may have to delay the surgery, and put Martin on a waiting list."  
  
"But that could take forever!" Beth cried.  
  
"Yes, but we cannot go through with the surgery in hopes that he doesn't lose a lot of blood. The results can be fatal. We have to be completely sure. I have given him the dosage and his fever has calmed down so right now he is stable. But we cannot do anything until we have that match.  
  
"Dr Russell," Nurse Linda suddenly appeared. "I checked everyone else's files like you asked and no one has a match---"  
  
"Damn it!" Luis cursed, interrupting her.  
  
"Wait, you didn't let me finish." The nurse continued." No one has a match except for Sheridan."  
  
Every pair of eyes stared at Sheridan.  
  
"Me?" she asked surprised.  
  
Nooo!!! Beth nervously thought to herself. Now everyone will know that Sheridan is Martin's real mother!  
  
"It's all over Bethie," Ms Wallace whispered to her daughter. "It is all over!" 


	7. Prayers Are Answered

CH 7  
  
"That is really weird," Gwen commented staring hard at Beth. "You mean Sheridan is the ONLY one out of all of us that has a match? Not even Luis or Beth, his own mother, has a match?"  
  
Damn you Gwen! Beth angrily thought to herself.  
  
"I know that is weird," Fox added in. "I mean isn't the mother at least suppose to have a match for the child?"  
  
"No!" Beth suddenly spoke up. "I mean, that's not necessarily true, is it Dr Russell?"  
  
"Actually you're right Beth. In some cases neither the father nor the mother has a match for their child. So it's not that uncommon that neither you or Luis matches with Martin." Eve confirmed.  
  
Beth let out a sigh, as she noticed Gwen still keeping an eye on her.  
  
"Well now that we have a match, we can continue with the surgery. All we need is Sheridan's consent."  
  
"Of course I will!" Sheridan smiled happily. "There's nothing that I would love more than to help Martin."  
  
"Great!" Eve grinned turning to Beth and Luis. "The surgery will take about one or two hours assuming that there are no complications. I'll go alert the doctors to start. Right now all you can do is wait. After the surgery Martin will have to rest, and after that we can examine him one last time to make sure everything went well. I'll be back when the procedure is over." Eve smiled walking away.  
  
"Well honey, it's really getting late." Fox looked at his watch, turning to Theresa. "We should probably take the little ones home."  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right," Theresa walked over to her brother. "Luis, call us as soon as you hear anything. We're going to take Maggie and Ethan home. Sheridan, if you want we can give you a ride back to the cottage so you can put Emma to bed."  
  
"Oh, well I kind of wanted to stay here." Sheridan looked up at Luis.  
  
"That's alright Sheridan. If you and Luis don't mind, Ethan and I can take Emma for the night. You guys can come pick her up in the morning." Gwen suggested.  
  
"Are you sure Gwen? That would be so great." Sheridan asked her friend.  
  
"Yeah, don't worry about it. It will be our pleasure." Ethan responded. "But you make sure to call us as soon as Dr. Russell gives you any more news. We'll be keeping the little guy in our prayers."  
  
"Thanks guys." Luis hugged Gwen and Ethan. "We really appreciate you coming down to the hospital. Good night."  
  
After Theresa, Fox, Gwen and Ethan left Luis turned to Beth.  
  
"Beth, are you alright?" He comforted her. "I know how much this must be tearing you apart."  
  
"I'm ok Luis, I just want Martin to be ok." Beth sobbed, as Luis embraced her.  
  
"Liar!" Ms. Wallace coldly whispered in her ear. "If only Luis knew what a monster you really are!"  
  
Luis looked around the hospital waiting room.  
  
"Well it looks like it's going to be the four of us. I'm going to go see if I can find some blankets for us." He kissed Sheridan and walked around the corner.  
  
"I still can't believe all of this happened." Sheridan turned to Beth and her mother. "Beth you must be a complete mess; to know that your little baby is in there, so weak and innocent. As a mother, I know the heartache you must be feeling." She gave Beth a reassuring smile. "I felt the same way when those monsters took my baby away for me."  
  
Beth held her breath, as she felt her mother squeeze her arm.  
  
"Do you still have dreams about him Sheridan?" Beth nervously asked her.  
  
"Well lately I've been having a few, but Luis has helped me to realize that I have to let him go." A twinkle of hope flashed across her face. "But I don't know. Sometimes I still feel like he's near by though."  
  
"That's because he is, and you have him." Ms Wallace whispered to her daughter.  
  
Beth moved away from her mother and laid a comforting hand on Sheridan's shoulder.  
  
"Well, I know that losing a baby can be a very hard thing to cope with. But at least you still have Emma to help you though the pain." She smiled at her.  
  
"You're right Beth." Sheridan grinned. "You're such a good friend. Even with your own baby fighting for his life in there, you can still manage to make someone else feel better."  
  
"Pfffft!" Ms Wallace silently groaned. "If you only knew sweet Sheridan."  
  
After a few hours had past, Dr Russell had assured them that Martin's surgery had been a success. They had managed to get all the bone cartilage out of his knee joint space, and that for the rest of the night he was to rest.  
  
Sheridan peered around the dark waiting room at Beth and her mother before she snuggled closer to Luis in one of the chairs.  
  
"Luis?" she whispered to him, careful not to wake Beth and Ms Wallace.  
  
"Hmm?" he opened his eyes and looked over at her.  
  
"I'm really glad that Martin's surgery went ok." He put his arm around her, as she laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Me too. I was really worried about him." He pulled the blanket over her shoulders. "But we should probably get some rest, so that when he wakes up tomorrow morning we can all be there for him."  
  
"Good idea." She smiled kissing his cheek. "Good night."  
  
~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK 1~*~*~*  
  
"Please! Give me back my baby!" Sheridan cried, her voice echoing off the walls in the dark pit.  
  
"Never!" The evil woman shrieked. "You will never see you're baby again!"  
  
"No!!!!" Sheridan screamed. "Give him to me!!"  
  
~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK 2~*~*~*  
  
"Luis, did you find him?" Sheridan asked Luis as he climbed out of the murky dark waters. "Did you find our baby?"  
  
"I'm sorry Sheridan," Luis sadly looked into her eyes. "He's gone. Our baby's dead."  
  
"No Luis," Sheridan fell to the ground. "He can't be dead! He can't be!"  
  
~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK 3~*~*~*  
  
"My baby is still alive!" Sheridan stared at Luis and Pilar. "I know he is. I can feel it in my heart."  
  
"Mija, you have to let him go." Pilar looked at Sheridan concerned. "He's not coming back."  
  
"If he was dead, I would feel it." Sheridan placed a hand over her heart, and walked to her cottage window. "I know I have to move on, but part of me still believes that he's alive."  
  
~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK 4~*~*~*  
  
"No!" Sheridan protested, her voice ringing down the hospital hall. "That is not Beth's baby! I know my own baby, and that is him!"  
  
Sheridan tried to grab the crying infant from Beth, but she pulled away.  
  
"Beth, give him to me! That is my baby!" Sheridan cried.  
  
"Sheridan, stop it!" Luis held her back. "That is not our baby. That is my baby with Beth. Our baby died." He looked into her eyes worriedly.  
  
"No, Luis!" Sheridan screamed frustrated. "That is my baby! I'd know him anywhere! Beth give him to me!"  
  
~*~*~*~*END OF FLASHBACKS~*~*~*  
  
"My baby!" Sheridan suddenly opened her eyes.  
  
She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest, as she slowly adjusted her eyes to the dark room.  
  
She looked over at Luis, as he stirred in his sleep.  
  
Beth and her mother were huddled in the corner.  
  
"My baby," she repeated deliriously. "I have to see if he's alright."  
  
She slowly got up from the hospital chair, careful not to wake Luis, and made her way down the dimly lit halls.  
  
She turned the corner to where Martin was, and carefully slipped in the dark room.  
  
As she saw his lifeless body stretched out on the bed, she let out a small whimper.  
  
"Oh, my poor baby."  
  
She quietly pulled a vacant chair over to his bedside and sat down, rubbing a finger over his delicate skin.  
  
"Martin honey, it's your mommy." Sheridan's glossy eyes twinkled. "You had a little accident sweetheart. But you're going to get better. I know you will, because I'm going to be right here with you until you do. I love you so much." She leaned over and kissed his forehead.  
  
Suddenly the lights flickered on.  
  
"Sheridan?" Luis whispered from the door with Dr Russell behind him. "What are you doing in here?"  
  
Sheridan squinted from the sudden flow of light in the room, and stared up at Luis.  
  
"What?" she asked confused.  
  
"What are you doing in Martin's room?" He came over to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I-I don't know." Sheridan looked around the room. "I don't even remember coming in here.  
  
"Well as long as we're all here, I might as well examine little Martin." Eve walked over to his bedside. "It'll just take a few minutes."  
  
Sheridan and Luis watched as Eve checked his heart and blood pressure.  
  
"Well his vitals seem to be ok, and everything else seems to be working accordingly." Dr Russell smiled at them. "I'd say Martin is doing extremely well. In fact, except for the cast that he has to where, I think Martin can even go home tomorrow!"  
  
"Eve, are you serious?" Luis could barely contain his happiness. "That's great!"  
  
"O my goodness! It's a miracle!" Sheridan laughed, giving her husband a hug.  
  
"Yes, it really is!" Eve grinned. "Martin is going to be just fine!" 


	8. Happy Birthday Emma!

CH 8  
  
Sheridan smiled as she carefully lit the number 1 candle on the cake.  
  
"Oh, that cake looks beautiful babe." Luis peered over her shoulder. "You know it was really sweet of you to have Emma's birthday party here at Beth's."  
  
"Well I thought it was only fair," She smiled up at him. "Martin just got out of the hospital, so I thought it would be better to have it here. That way Beth doesn't have to bring Martin out, and Emma can still be around the people that love her."  
  
Sheridan turned and looked around the room.  
  
Everyone was sitting around chatting, laughing and having a great time. There was not a single person missing: Sam and Grace, Jessica and Reese, Charity, Pilar, Miguel, Kay and Maria, Ivy, Julian, Fox, Theresa, little Maggie and Little Ethan, Gwen and Ethan, Chad and Whitney, Simone, TC, Eve, Beth, Ms Wallace, Luis, little Emma and herself.  
  
"Alright, is everyone ready?," Luis cleared his throat, walking over to the carpet to pick up his daughter. "On the count of three. 1, 2, 3!"  
  
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Emma, happy birthday to you!" They all sang, as Sheridan and Luis helped their daughter blow out the candle.  
  
They spent the next hour eating cake and opening presents.  
  
"Mommy, I'm bored." Little Ethan complained after awhile to Theresa.  
  
"I guess this isn't so fun for the munchkins." Fox laughed. "Alright, here's what we'll do. Little E, why don't you take Emma, Maria, and Martin downstairs in the basement to play? We'll come get you when it's time to go home."  
  
"Yeah!!" Little Ethan cheered, carefully taking Emma and the two toddlers downstairs with him.  
  
"Be careful sweetheart," Theresa called. "Remember your cousins are smaller than you. I don't want to hear any crying coming from down there!"  
  
"I will mommy!" he yelled.  
  
"It's so funny hearing you warn Little Ethan about being careful Terrasita." Pilar smiled at her daughter. "I remember when you and your brothers were younger. I used to get a sore throat warning them to be careful with you. But of course they never listened, and you were the one who always ended up getting hurt."  
  
"That's because they were so violent!" Theresa punched a laughing Miguel. "I remember getting so many cuts and bruises from these two, especially Luis!"  
  
"Me?" Luis smiled innocently. "What did I ever do to you?"  
  
"O my god, you can't be serious!" Theresa yelled, as everyone laughed.  
  
She handed baby Maggie to Fox and pulled up one of her pant legs to reveal a scar above her right knee.  
  
"I remember this one time I caught Luis putting on some of Papa's cologne. But when I asked him what he was doing, he jut kept shrugging me off. So I told him I was going to go tell Papa, and do you know what that evil brother of mine did?" Theresa went over to Luis and punched him hard in the shoulder. "He pushed me down the stairs! And then when I started crying and Mama asked him what happened, he lied and said I tripped!"  
  
"I don't remember that!" Luis laughed, hiding his head from Theresa.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure!" she giggled sitting back down next to Fox.  
  
"Luis, that was mean!" Sheridan playfully hit him.  
  
"She did trip!" He laughed in defense.  
  
"I thought you didn't remember!" Theresa made a face at him.  
  
"Opps." Luis giggled.  
  
Suddenly they heard someone crying from downstairs.  
  
"Oh boy," Theresa rolled her eyes. "What has that little terror I call my son done now?"  
  
"It's ok Theresa, I'll go see what the little ones are up to." Charity offered. "It's probably one of them needing a change." She smiled walking to the basement door.  
  
"It better not be ours!" Luis smirked, as she went downstairs. "I swear that has got to be the worst thing about taking care of a baby."  
  
"Oh please," Sheridan rolled her eyes at her husband. "Four out of the five times, I'm the one who has to change Emma's diaper."  
  
"Thank you Sheridan." Theresa smiled. "Fox over here always conveniently has something to do when Maggie needs changing."  
  
"Hey it's not my fault I'm a busy man." Fox winked, making a face at her.  
  
"Uggghh!" Beth whispered to her mother, rolling her eyes. "Can't we talk about something else besides babies?"  
  
"The only reason why you're not liking this choice of subject is because you don't have anything to put in." Ms Wallace smirked. "That's what happens when you steal someone's baby and try to pass it off as your own."  
  
"Shut up mother." Beth annoyingly responded.  
  
Suddenly everyone heard a scream come from the basement.  
  
"What was that?" Gwen looked around worriedly.  
  
"I don't know, but I'm going to go find out." Luis got up and went downstairs as everyone followed behind him.  
  
When they had gotten down in the basement, they saw Charity standing at the door of a dimly lit room terribly upset.  
  
"Charity?" Luis asked, carefully approaching her. "Charity, is everything ok? We heard you scream."  
  
Charity just stared into the room with a terrified expression on her face, tears falling from her eyes.  
  
Sheridan picked up Emma and stood beside Luis.  
  
"Charity?" she asked once more, "Charity honey, say something."  
  
"Something evil happened in here." She finally spoke, her eyes never blinking. "Something very very evil."  
  
Everyone blankly stared at one another as tears continued to run down the horrified teenager's face. 


	9. Visions of the Truth

CH 9  
  
Luis flicked on the light and looked inside the room.  
  
The place was completely furnished with two old sofas and a coffee table. Except for some old sheets and pillows tossed in the corner, there was nothing peculiar at all about the room.  
  
"Charity what do you mean something evil happened in this room?" Luis looked back at her.  
  
"I don't know, but I sense evil here." Charity rubbed her temples.  
  
Beth pushed through the crowd and stood beside Luis.  
  
"What's going on here?" she asked looking at Charity.  
  
"Charity says she senses like something evil happened in this room." Luis responded.  
  
"What?" A worried expression immediately appeared across her face. "That's crazy!"  
  
Oh no! Beth thought to herself. Charity can't be sensing the time when Charlie and I kept Sheridan in the dark pit we dug in this room? If she is, I'm finished!  
  
"I-I'm not imagining it." Charity fumbled. "S-Something awful happened in here. I-I just don't know what it is."  
  
Charity held her head and closed her eyes as Luis steadied her.  
  
"Charity are you ok?" he asked.  
  
"Martin!" She exclaimed, her eyes suddenly flying open. "Martin was in here!"  
  
Beth's eyes grew wide, as she struggled to think quickly.  
  
"Well of course Martin was in here Charity." She began. "I play with him lots of times in this room."  
  
"See well then that explains it." Luis confirmed.  
  
"No!" Charity interrupted, closing her eyes once more. "I see Martin, but it was when he was a baby, and he's with a woman, but it's not Beth."  
  
"Well of course it's me Charity! Who else would it be?" Beth yelled frustrated.  
  
"Ok, you know what? I'm going to take the kids upstairs. They're starting to get scared." Theresa interrupted, looking at the expression on their faces.  
  
"That's a good idea Theresa, I'll help you." Gwen volunteered.  
  
She took Emma from Sheridan and followed Theresa upstairs.  
  
Ms. Wallace grabbed Beth by the arm and pulled her aside.  
  
"Oh, missy you better hope and pray that Charity is not sensing when you and Charlie kidnapped Sheridan and put her in that pit. Because if she is, you can say bye bye Luis and hello jail cell!" she chuckled.  
  
"Damn Charity!" Beth silently cried. "If she keeps this up, everyone will know what we did!"  
  
"No no missy, not WE, YOU!" Ms Wallace stared at her daughter. "You and that psycho Charlie were the one's that did all of this. Precious and I were just innocent bystanders to your sico schemes. So if anyone is going down, it's gonna be you!"  
  
"The woman that I see is not Beth." Charity continued. "The woman is blonde, but I can't see her face."  
  
"Blonde?" Gwen asked confused.  
  
"I know who your talking about Charity." Beth quickly thought once more. "The blonde lady is my friend Stacy. She used to come around here to baby sit Martin when he was really small."  
  
"That must be who you're seeing honey." Sam suggested, putting an arm around his niece.  
  
"Maybe," Charity mumbled. "But that still doesn't explain the evil that I sense in here. Something terribly evil happened, and I have the feeling that Beth knows what it is."  
  
Everyone turned around and stared at Beth.  
  
"Charity, I don't know what your talking about." She nervously bit her bottom lip.  
  
As Charity and Beth continued to argue, Sheridan slowly began to look around the room.  
  
"There's something familiar about this room." She whispered to Luis. "It's almost as if I've been here before."  
  
Luis looked at Sheridan concerned.  
  
"Here in this room?" he asked looking into her dazed eyes.  
  
"Yeah," she responded a bit confused herself.  
  
She let her eyes wander up and down the walls and ceiling of the room. Suddenly her eyes cast on a window in the far corner.  
  
"That window," she whispered.  
  
"What about it?" Luis asked her, noticing how unsteady she was becoming on her feet. "Sheridan?" he repeated as she rubbed her temples.  
  
Sheridan suddenly felt the whole room begin to spin, as she felt her breathing becoming irregular.  
  
What's happening? She thought to herself.  
  
~*~*~*FLASHBACK~*~*~*  
  
"Please just give me back my baby!" Sheridan screamed from the bottom of the dark pit. "I'll give you whatever you want. I come from a very rich family. You can have anything you wish!"  
  
The clown suddenly appeared above.  
  
"I don't want anything, blondie!" she evilly sneered. "All I want is you dead!"  
  
"But why? I don't even know you!" Sheridan cried. "All I want is my baby!"  
  
"Forget it!" the woman's voice yelled. "You will never see your baby again, because you'll be dead!"  
  
"No!!!" Sheridan screamed.  
  
I have to get out of here. She thought to herself. But how?  
  
Her eyes wandered to a window that she could barely see from where she was.  
  
"That's it!" she smiled. "I'll yell. Someone will have to hear me!"  
  
She positioned herself so she could see the window better.  
  
"Help me!" she yelled. "Help me please! I'm down here and I can't get out! Please someone help me!"  
  
"Shut up!" The clown snickered. "No one can here ya! You'll be down here forever, that is until I kill ya!" the voice laughed.  
  
"No!!" Sheridan yelled. "Someone please help me!"  
  
~*~*~*END OF FLASHBACK~*~*~*  
  
Sheridan fell back into Luis arms.  
  
"Sheridan!" he caught her.  
  
"Luis what happened?" Sam came running to his side.  
  
"I don't know. Sheridan was just mumbling something about a window, and then she fainted." Luis looked down at her puzzled.  
  
"Ok, well lets bring her upstairs." He said grabbing Sheridan's feet.  
  
Everyone turned away from Beth and Charity and followed Luis and Sam back upstairs.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Beth nervously asked her mother. "I made sure to clean up that room! Sheridan can't be remembering what happened!"  
  
"I hope she is," Ms Wallace chuckled. "Because then finally everyone will know all the evil things that you have done to that sweet sweet Sheridan. You better take your bow Beth, because the curtains are coming down!"  
  
"No!" Beth yelled. "This can't be happening!" 


	10. I Can't Remember

CH 10  
  
Luis and Sam laid Sheridan on the sofa, as Eve examined her.  
  
"Is she alright Eve?" Luis asked concerned, looking down at his wife.  
  
"Well she appears to be fine. She probably just had a little dizzy spell." She concluded. "You said she was talking about a window before she fainted Luis?"  
  
"Yeah, she kept saying how familiar the room in Beth's basement looked to her." Luis recalled. "But the thing is, I don't even think Sheridan ever went down in that basement."  
  
"So how could it be familiar to her?" Fox asked confused.  
  
"I have no idea. Hopefully she can tell us when she wakes up." He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.  
  
Beth stood at the basement doorway out of sight.  
  
"Damn it," she whispered to her mother. "If Sheridan wakes up and tells everyone that she remembers being down in the basement, Luis would figure out that I was behind her disappearance all along. He'd never want to be with me then!"  
  
"Be with you?" Ms Wallace chuckled. "You'd be lucky if he doesn't kill you on the spot! No no missy. You have caused that man too much heartache and pain. When Sheridan wakes up and reveals that you were the one who kidnapped her and dumped her in that pit, he will finally send your sorry butt to jail where you will rot forever! Halleluiah!" She chuckled raising her hands to the ceiling.  
  
"Shut up mother!" Beth cried. "No, this can't be the end. I've worked too hard to get Luis! Damn Sheridan! I should have shot her when I had the chance!"  
  
"Evil, evil girl!" Ms Wallace gasped in horror.  
  
"Hey, Sheridan's waking up!" Hank called from the living room.  
  
Beth ran into the room as Luis helped her up to a sitting position.  
  
"Sheridan!" he kissed her. "Oh thank God! Are you alright?"  
  
"What happened?" she groggily mumbled.  
  
"You fainted honey." Luis reminded her. "We were in the basement and you were mumbling about how familiar the room downstairs looked."  
  
"The basement?" Sheridan looked towards the door.  
  
"Yeah, and then you whispered something about a window and you fainted." Luis rubbed her back. "What did you mean when you said 'the window' Sheridan?"  
  
"The window," she repeated looking at Luis.  
  
Beth held her breath as she looked at Sheridan's face.  
  
"I-I don't remember." She whispered rubbing her temples. "I don't even remember what I was thinking when I was down in the basement."  
  
Beth let out a sigh of relief as Sheridan struggled to remember.  
  
"That's ok honey," Eve sat down next to her. "If you can't remember now, don't fight it. Maybe later it'll come back to you."  
  
"I hope not." Beth whispered to herself.  
  
"Well we've all had a pretty big night." Ethan got up.  
  
"Yeah, and the kids look like they're about to fall over." Theresa agreed.  
  
"Literally." Fox pointed out looking down at Little Ethan falling asleep on his lap.  
  
Everyone laughed, as they got ready to go.  
  
"Sheridan, Luis, we had such a great time!" Whitney hugged them.  
  
"Yeah, we hope Emma likes all the gifts she got." Chad added in.  
  
"Oh I'm sure she will!" Sheridan smiled looking over at her sleeping daughter.  
  
"Oh and thanks Beth for having the party here. Martin looked like he had a blast!" Theresa giggled, putting Maggie in her bassinet.  
  
"I know. You'd never think they little guy was sick a few days ago." Ethan agreed. "He really had a lot of fun.  
  
"Ya well, what can I say? He loves parties!" Beth laughed.  
  
"Thanks everyone for coming!" Sheridan smiled.  
  
"Ya, we really appreciate you guys celebrating Emma's birthday with us." Luis added walking everyone to the door.  
  
"Well you're very welcome. Have a good night you guys!" TC waved heading out the door.  
  
"Good night!" They both yelled as everyone got into their cars.  
  
"You know, we should be going too." Luis turned to Beth as he closed the door.  
  
"Yeah, it's getting late." Sheridan agreed, carefully picking up Emma. "But thank you for everything Beth."  
  
"I should actually be thanking you guys for allowing to have the party at my house so that Martin could be apart of it." Beth smiled at them.  
  
"Oh don't mention it. I'm just glad the little guy had some fun." Luis bent down, gently kissing his forehead.  
  
Beth smiled at the sight of Luis and his son.  
  
"Well good night!" Sheridan called from the door. "Thanks again!"  
  
"Good night Ms Wallace!" Luis added heading out behind Sheridan.  
  
"Good night honey!" Ms. Wallace waved. "What a beautiful family!" she chuckled to herself.  
  
"Right," Beth rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe how lucky I was tonight!"  
  
"Don't count your lucky stars yet Bethie," Ms Wallace warned. "Sheridan could very well remember what happened in that basement. It's just a matter of time!"  
  
"She's right." A voice sounded from behind the wall.  
  
Beth and Ms Wallace looked up as Alistair Crane walked into the living room.  
  
"What happened tonight was way to close." He walked over to Beth.  
  
"Mr. Crane ---" Beth began, but he put up his hand. "I mean Alistair. What are you doing here?"  
  
"As usual up to know good." Ms Wallace mumbled underneath her breath.  
  
"I heard that old woman!" Alistair informed her. "I was here all along. So I know how close Sheridan was to revealing the events of what happened in that basement."  
  
"Y-You do?" Beth fumbled.  
  
"Yes, and I'm here to tell you that it better not happen again." Alistair warned. "If Luis ever found out that you and I were behind Sheridan's disappearance, not only would he throw you in jail but he would also start snooping around again for clues about his father's disappearance."  
  
So he really is behind Luis' father's disappearance? Beth thought to herself.  
  
"That boy has been a thorn in my side ever since the first day he met Sheridan, and I refuse to let him reveal all of the Crane secrets." Alistair spat as he tightened his fists.  
  
"What kind of secrets?" Beth inquired.  
  
"Never mind that. You just concentrate on preventing Sheridan from exposing what happened." He lit a cigar. "If anyone ever found out, it would be the end. Sheridan would be happy because she would finally get her child back and that CANNOT HAPPEN!!!"  
  
He turned and walked away from them leaving a trail of smoke behind. 


	11. My Baby

CH 11  
  
Back at the cottage, Sheridan and Luis tucked Emma in for bed.  
  
"What a night." Sheridan yawned. "I'm completely exhausted. I feel like I could sleep forever."  
  
"Well you did go through quite a bit tonight hun." Luis looked up at her. "Are you feeling any better?"  
  
Sheridan changed into her nightgown and came out of the bathroom to face her husband.  
  
"Well I have a bit of a headache, but I don't really remember much from earlier if that's what you mean."  
  
Luis took a moment to look at Sheridan.  
  
My God she's beautiful. He thought to himself.  
  
He let his eyes wander down her slender body. Her nightgown was loose but it clung to her in all the right places. The low neckline exposed the top of her firm breasts. He watched as she gently combed through her soft blonde hair, as it bounced lightly off her shoulders.  
  
Completely mesmerized by her beauty, he barely heard her call his name.  
  
"Luis?" Her voice brought him back to reality.  
  
He looked up into her sparkling green eyes, as she smiled at him.  
  
"Huh?" he asked dazed.  
  
"Where were you just now?" she got up and walked over to him.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry," he blushed. "I was just so mesmerized by your beauty that I completely forgot where I was."  
  
"Oh really? Why thank you." She grinned giving him a kiss. "But I was wondering what exactly did I say to you before I fainted in Beth's basement.?"  
  
"Well," he began but stopped looking over at his sleeping daughter. "Why don't we go in the living room? I don't want to wake Emma."  
  
"Good idea." She smiled getting off his lap.  
  
She quietly locked the door behind them as Luis went into the kitchen to make them a cup of hot chocolate.  
  
"Well first you were just mumbling about how familiar the room in the basement looked." He called.  
  
"But I've never been down in Beth's basement." Sheridan flopped in the couch.  
  
"I know. That's why I found it so weird when you said that. Then you said something about a window and before I could ask you what you meant, you fainted in my arms." Luis came into the living room and handed her a cup.  
  
"That is so weird."  
  
"Tell me about it. I was kind of hoping that you would be able to tell us more when you woke up. Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Luis looked at her.  
  
"No, not really." She put a hand to her head. "All I know is that when I woke up I had this strong longing to be with our baby."  
  
"You mean the baby that we lost?"  
  
"Yeah, only I keep getting this strong feeling like we haven't lost him." She looked up at Luis.  
  
"Sheridan—"  
  
"Look, Luis I know that you think that our baby died and that I should move on. But I can't shake the feeling that our baby is still alive. I'm my baby's mother. If he were really gone, I would feel emptiness inside. But I don't. I honestly feel like he is alive somewhere out there."  
  
"But Sheridan that would mean that somebody has him. The only person that we knew who had him was that woman who drove the car over the bride with our baby inside." Luis looked at his wife concerned.  
  
"But you don't know that for sure. You said it yourself that you only assumed that he was in there." Sheridan got up from the couch and stood at the window. "But what if you were wrong Luis? What if our baby was never in that car? That means someone has him right now. Oh, my poor baby!" She cried.  
  
"Honey please don't do this." Luis tried to comfort her.  
  
"No Luis! I'm sorry; I know that you lost a baby too. But you don't know how I'm feeling. My baby was ripped away from me. Those horrible monsters took my child right after I gave birth to him. Do you know what that's like?"  
  
"No, I can't imagine." Luis sighed looking into her hurt eyes.  
  
"Well let me tell you. It's like having your soul ripped out of your body. My baby was a part of me. When he was taken, it was as if a part of me got taken as well. I can't even put into words the feeling that I got when they took my baby away. I never thought I could feel that way again; it was so horrible. But I did. I got the exact same feeling again when Martin was in the hospital."  
  
Luis looked at her confused, taken aback by what he just heard.  
  
"Martin? I don't understand."  
  
"I don't quite understand myself either. But when Eve said that Martin had to have surgery, I felt like it was my child who was in there." Sheridan kept her gaze outside the window.  
  
"But honey Martin is Beth and my baby." Luis reminded her.  
  
"I know that. But I just feel such a strong connection to him; the kind of connection that a mother feels with her own child."  
  
"Sheridan what are you saying?" Luis turned her to face him. "You're not trying to imply that Beth's baby is yours again, are you?"  
  
Sheridan let out a deep sigh and looked into her husband's eyes.  
  
"Of course not Luis. I'm just saying that I feel really close to Martin. He's such a beautiful little boy. I just can't help but sometimes wonder what it would be like if he was my own son. And even though I know it's wrong to think this way, I sometimes feel like he IS my son."  
  
"Sheridan, then that would mean that Beth stole your baby."  
  
"I know it's crazy Luis." She smiled. "Beth has been such a great friend to both of us. She's been extremely supportive, and I'm very grateful for her kindness. I guess I just feel such a connection to Martin from when I used to breast-feed him."  
  
"That's exactly what it is. You two did share a pretty special bond." Luis gently rubbed her back. "Look, I know it's hard to accept that our baby is gone, but you really have to try. Trust me Sheridan, if someone did have our baby I would not rest until that baby was back in your arms. For someone to steal someone else's baby, they would have to be cruel and downright insane. I would love nothing more than to have our baby back, but it's not going to happen. Right now we just need to concentrate on dealing with our loss and making a good life for Emma."  
  
"You're right." Sheridan smiled up at him. "I'm sorry I don't mean to me so crazy. I just really miss our child, and I wish that he were right here with us."  
  
She hugged him tightly and rested her head on his chest as she silently said a prayer for her little one. 


	12. Secrets

CH 12  
  
"Oh dear, where did Precious put that gin?" Ms Wallace huffed around the kitchen. "I definitely need a drink right now. After all the drama that's been going around in this house, I'm surprised I haven't had a heart attack already!"  
  
She bent down and looked into one of the cupboards below the sink.  
  
"Ah! Found it!" She chuckled loudly. "There's nothing like a good stiff drink in the morning to wash away all your troubles!"  
  
She was about to close the door when her eye cast on something in the far corner. She lifted the towel that half covered it and gasped in horror at what she saw. There buried in dust were two clown masks.  
  
"Oh, my wicked wicked daughter and her psycho accomplice have actually gotten away with attempted murder. Those two nut cases kidnapped sweet Sheridan and left her in that dark pit to die disguising themselves with these dreadful masks!" She sobbed. "Oh blessed angels, you have got to make my sick daughter pay for her crimes! Someone has got to reveal Bethie for all the evil things that she has done to that hunk of burning love Luis and his beautiful wife Sheridan! Things cannot go on this way! She has got to pay!" Ms Wallace cried.  
  
"Well you certainly are not going to tell anyone." A cold voice above her, spoke.  
  
Ms. Wallace slowly rose to find Alistair Crane standing before her.  
  
"Uh Mr. Crane, what are you doing here?" She nervously asked.  
  
"Hello Edna, I just thought I'd stop in and make sure that you weren't thinking of doing something that you would live to regret." Alistair kept his stare on Ms Wallace.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well I'm well aware that you know I was pretending to be Charlie when I helped Beth kidnap Sheridan. I also know that you have threatened Beth more than once of revealing what the two of us did. But if you know what is good for you, you will keep your trap shut!" Alistair warned.  
  
"Mr. Crane you are such an evil man! It's about time that someone brought you down!" Edna cringed, afraid of what affect her words had on him.  
  
"Don't me silly old woman." Alistair laughed. "Nobody is dumb enough to try and expose me. If they do they better be ready to pay with their lives. I am the most powerful man in Harmony. Whatever I want, I get. And what I want is for Beth's secret to remain just that; a secret."  
  
"Why is my daughter's happiness so important to you. You never showed much interest in her before."  
  
"I just wouldn't like to see a beautiful woman's hard work go down the drain. And if you know what's good for you, you'd keep what you know to yourself. I mean, I know that you and Beth don't have the world's most loving relationship but I'm sure you wouldn't want her to hate you forever. Who knows what she'd do to you?" Alistair smirked, keeping a close eye on Edna's confused expression.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Well living in Harmony, you should know first hand the destruction that a kept secret can bring to one's life. Especially the kind of secret that can destroy the relationship between a mother and daughter." Alistair hinted, pacing slowly around the kitchen.  
  
"I don't have any secrets that I've kept from my daughter. Well except for that one time when Precious brushed her teeth with Beth's toothbrush." She chuckled.  
  
"My my, you really have forgotten haven't you? I would think that you would never let something so important slip your memory. Especially something that can ruin your life so easily."  
  
What could he be talking about? Edna thought to herself. There's nothing that he could hold against me, is there?  
  
"What have I forgotten? What are you talking about?"  
  
Alistair quietly chuckled to himself, as he lit one of his cigars.  
  
"I would be happy to refresh your memory Edna. I just don't know if you really want me to. You obviously allowed yourself to forget this for some good reason. Maybe deep inside you knew that if this secret ever got out, it would be the end of life as you know it."  
  
"You're lying!" Ms Wallace cried. "There is nothing in my past that could come back and haunt me, except for the fact that I was quite popular with the young men back then." She chuckled to herself, but then turned to Alistair. "You're just trying to get me to not reveal Beth's secret. Well it ain't happening because even if I don't tell, the truth will find a way to reveal itself. It always does!"  
  
"How interesting for you to mention how popular you were with the men in Harmony. That's actually towards where I was going with all of this." He blew a thick cloud of smoke in the air before he continued. "Oh Edna, I bet you never thought that your past shameful actions would catch up with you and now it finally has. Well brace yourself old woman because what I am about to tell you is going to give you the shock of a lifetime."  
  
He slowly inhaled the last bit of his cigar before he began his story. 


	13. The Truth

CH 13  
  
~*~*~*  
  
He stumbled off the steps of the Crane Mansion and landed hard on the concrete ground. His eyes throbbed as he tried to adjust to the darkness of the night. His knees and hands ached. As he struggled to get up, he stared down at his wrists. Large bruises scarred his skin where the tight ropes had held him. His stomach suddenly felt queasy, as he had not eaten for days. His clothes were torn into shreds and different parts of his body still bled from the torment he had received earlier. Off in the distance he heard the faint sound of footsteps. It could have been his imagination, but he was not going to take any chances.  
  
"I have to get out of here." Martin Lopez-Fitzgerald whispered to himself. "I have to get home to me family. If Alistair and his men discover I escaped, they will immediately find me and kill me. I cannot let that happen."  
  
He quickly but carefully wandered off into the night. Strange faces looked back at him as he wandered to and fro. Odd buildings and structures surrounded him, as he fought to recognize the one that resembled his own. He had been held prisoner in that dark cell for so long that everything around him seemed so peculiar, even though he had probably been in that part of Harmony before. He longed to see his family. He missed his wife and children. If anything happened to him, he knew their lives would be in grave danger. The Cranes would make sure of that.  
  
He collapsed in a near by bush as a sudden feeling of nausea came over him.  
  
"Alistair must have slipped something in that glass of water they gave me to drink." He whispered clenching his stomach as he vomited in a pile of leaves.  
  
When he had finally stopped, he weakly braced against a tree, feeling beads of perspiration fall down his face. Everything around him started to spin as he felt his breathing become irregular. The last thing he remembered was the sound of an owl hooting overhead. Then everything went black.  
  
The splash of water on his face had later awoken him. When he opened his eyes a woman peered down at him from above.  
  
"Are you alright there? I've been trying to wake you for a while now."  
  
Martin slowly adjusted his eyes. An attractive young woman dressed in close- fitting leggings, a shirt that showed the top of her bare breasts and high- heels stood before him. She out-stretched her hand to help him to his feet.  
  
"Uh, d-do I know you?" He fumbled still feeling a little dizzy.  
  
"Not yet hun. The name's Edna. What's your name?" she smiled, her ruby lips shining in the moonlight.  
  
"Martin. Martin Lopez-Fitzgerald." He shook her hand.  
  
"Well Martin what are you doing out here all by yourself?"  
  
"I was actually fleeing. A very powerful man and a few of his assistances were holding me prisoner. I haven't had anything to eat and I'm trying to find my family." He shivered from a gust of cool breeze that blew passed him.  
  
"Well I don't know about finding your family but I can probably get you to some place warm where you can have a bite to eat. My house is just around the corner." She offered, pointing up the road.  
  
"That is very kind of you. I would like that very much."  
  
"Great then, let's go."  
  
Martin followed Edna until they came to large house. Once inside, Edna gave him lots to eat and a fresh change of clothes. He wasn't sure where she had gotten the men's clothing but he didn't really care. He was glad to finally have a new change of clothes on his back no matter where they came from.  
  
After they had eaten she motioned for him to sit with her on the couch.  
  
"Thank you once again for the meal and clothes. It was quite kind of you." Martin smiled appreciatively.  
  
"No thanks needed. There's nothing that I like more than to make a handsome man like yourself happy." She lightly touched his chin with the tip of her fingers. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?" She gently placed an inviting hand on his leg.  
  
Immediately feeling uncomfortable he moved her hand away.  
  
"Edna don't get me wrong. I am extremely grateful for everything that you have done. But as I told you earlier I have a wife. I would never think of putting myself with anyone else but her. I love her too much."  
  
"Oh," she gave him a disappointed smile. "Well your wife is very lucky woman. There aren't a lot of men like you around." She winked. "But you must be exhausted. Why don't you rest for a while?"  
  
She tried to unlace his boots, but he resisted.  
  
"I shouldn't." He looked at her.  
  
"Well why not? From what you've told me, it sounds like you've been through a lot. You said yourself that you want to find your family. Right now I don't think you're in any position to do that. Once you rest you'll be fully rejuvenated, and you can begin your search."  
  
I am tired. Martin thought to himself. Maybe some rest will be good for me. That way I can search for my family with a clear mind. I miss them so much. I can't wait to see them again.  
  
"Ok. Maybe you're right." He finally agreed.  
  
"I'm glad you chose to see things my way. You can sleep in my room. It's just around the corner. I'll be out here if you need anything."  
  
Martin got up and went to the room that she had pointed to. It took him a while, but soon he was fast asleep.  
  
After a few hours Edna had heard him call out in his sleep. She immediately ran to her room, finding him drenched in perspiration.  
  
"Pilar!" he called out, his eyes still tightly shut. "Pilar, it's me Martin!"  
  
Edna went over to him and tried to gently wake him.  
  
"Martin, wake up." She whispered. "You're just having a bad dream."  
  
He opened his eyes suddenly and gazed up at her with a blurred expression.  
  
"Oh Pilar," he smiled. "My wife, how I've missed you so."  
  
Pilar? Edna thought to herself. He must still be dreaming. For some reason he thinks I'm his wife.  
  
An immediate smile crept on her face.  
  
"Well if he thinks I'm his wife, why should I let him think otherwise." She whispered quietly.  
  
She turned to him and looked into his weary eyes.  
  
"Yes, Martin. It's me Pilar." She pulled him into an embrace and kissed him passionately.  
  
As the kiss deepened she let herself slip into complete bliss, with a man that she hardly knew.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Alistair smiled as he looked over at Ms. Wallace's terrified expression.  
  
"Oh no," She cried, realizing the mistake that she had made.  
  
"Oh yes," Alistair chuckled. "You took advantage of a poor man's sickness and used your cunning ways to get him to have sex with you. Only this wasn't just some man. It was Martin Lopez-Fitzgerald; husband of Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald, and father of Antonio, Luis, Theresa, Miguel and little Paloma.  
  
"Oh, Pilar will be so upset when she finds out that I slept with her long lost husband!" Ms. Wallace sobbed.  
  
"Pilar?" Alistair laughed. "You think Pilar's reaction is all you have to worry about?"  
  
"Well what else could there be?"  
  
"You seemed to have missed the highlight of my story old woman. "Alistair paced around Ms. Wallace grinning from ear to ear. "You see, you may not have taken the time to calculate this since after you slept with Martin, you immediately slept with so many other men. But do you think you can take the time now to recall who was born exactly nine months after that one heated night?"  
  
Ms Wallace's face turned pale as she slowly realized where Alistair was going with all of this.  
  
"Beth," She whispered, unable to believe it herself.  
  
"That's right!" Alistair smirked. "Little Beth Wallace was born. And since you slept with so many other men, that is why you were never able to tell her who her father was. What do you think Beth will do to you when she finds out that the man that she has loved for all eternity is actually her brother?"  
  
"Oh, blessed angels what have I done!" Ms Wallace cried. "Luis is Beth's half brother!"  
  
"Not even the angels in heaven can get you out of this one Edna." Alistair laughed. "The only person who can save you now is yourself. All you have to do is keep whatever you know about Sheridan's kidnapping to yourself. Your secret will never be told and everyone will be happy."  
  
Ms. Wallace shook her head in disappointment. She now knew that she could never reveal Beth for what she had done to Sheridan. If she did, it would be the end of life, as she knew it.  
  
"Well I think my work here is done." Alistair smirked reaching for the door handle. "Have a nice day Edna, and say hello to Precious for me!"  
  
He closed the door behind him and breathed out a sigh of relief.  
  
"If you know what's good for you Edna you will keep your mouth shut. No one must know the part that I played in Sheridan's kidnapping especially Luis!" He peered in through the window and stared at Ms. Wallace. "I will do anything to keep Sheridan from reuniting with her baby. Even if I have to make a poor old woman's life miserable in the process!!" 


	14. Frustrated

CH 14  
  
"This can't be happening." Beth mumbled to herself as she pushed Martin in his stroller. "I've worked too hard. I have done way too much to let it all go down the drain now!"  
  
She looked around at all the happy couples holding hands as they walked passed her.  
  
"Luis and I could be just as happy as them." A sickening feeling arose in her stomach, as she remembered Sheridan.  
  
"Why couldn't she just stay in St Lisa's with Antonio? Luis would never know she was alive and I would have him to myself."  
  
She turned the stroller into the park and pushed Martin towards a nearby bench.  
  
She looked down at the toddler and sighed.  
  
"This is not how it was suppose to happen. When I decided to steal Martin from Sheridan, Luis and I were supposed to raise him."  
  
She bit her bottom lip in frustration.  
  
"Luis hardly ever comes by the house anymore. And when he does, it's only to spend time with Martin. After that, he goes running off to that blonde bitch!"  
  
Martin began to fidget in his stroller, letting out small whimpers.  
  
"Martin, I can't let you out of your stroller. Your leg isn't that well yet."  
  
The toddler ignored her and continued to restlessly move around, his cries growing louder.  
  
Beth unfastened his buckle and sat him on her lap.  
  
"Sheridan has always gotten everything that she has ever wanted." She gently brushed a strand of hair away from Martin's eyes. "Why can't I get what I want for once? All I've ever wanted was Luis. If he was with me, everything would be perfect."  
  
Once again Martin began to fidget impatiently in her arms.  
  
She looked into her bag and pulled out one of his toys, handing it to the whimpering child.  
  
Martin took the truck for a moment but then threw it on the ground in a fit of anger, wailing even louder.  
  
Frustrated, Beth placed him back into his stroller and fastened the belt, reaching for the toy.  
  
Martin yelled at the top of his lungs as she forced the truck back into her bag.  
  
"I don't have time for this ok Martin? I already told you, you cannot come out of your stroller!"  
  
She already began to observe different pairs of eyes glancing in her direction.  
  
Maybe he's just hungry. Beth thought to herself.  
  
She reached into her bag for the bag of cookies that she had packed for him.  
  
"Here Martin, do you want a cookie?" She handed the cookie to him, but he refused it with even louder wails than before.  
  
At this point Beth started to notice people pointing and staring.  
  
She crouched down beside the stroller, and tried to calm the screaming child down.  
  
"Martin, please stop crying," she whispered. "I don't know what else to do! I've given you a toy, I've given you something to eat! What else do you want?"  
  
Beth nervously looked around at all the pairs of eyes staring back at her.  
  
"If I don't get Martin to be quiet, soon everyone will wonder why and it will only be a matter of time before they realize he's not really my son." She whispered to herself.  
  
She frantically looked at Martin, and gently began rubbing his head.  
  
"Shhh shhhh honey, please stoop crying." She pleaded.  
  
But as Martin continued to scream, she slowly felt herself growing angrier.  
  
"Martin, I said to be quiet." She said through clenched teeth.  
  
When he did not obey, she slowly moved her hand from his head to his mouth and held a firm grip.  
  
Martin's cries now sounded more like muffled shrieks, as Beth's grip grew tighter and tighter.  
  
His cheeks started to turn the shade of blue, as Beth's hand absent- mindedly covered the toddler's nose.  
  
As if in a trance, Beth continued to firmly hold her hand over Martin's mouth.  
  
"Hey what are you doing?" A voice snapped her back into reality.  
  
"What?" Beth confusingly asked the woman standing above her.  
  
"You're baby's turning blue! What are trying to do kill him?" She shrieked staring down at Martin.  
  
Beth looked at him and quickly tore her hand away from his mouth, as if she had just touched something hot.  
  
"Oh my god what have I done?" Beth shook her head unable to believe her own actions.  
  
The woman was about to speak again, but her husband pulled her to one side, urging her to mind her own business. After putting up a bit of a fight, she reluctantly followed him and walked away.  
  
Beth let out a sigh of relief as Martin began crying once more, the colour returning to this cheeks.  
  
She picked him up and soothingly rubbed his back.  
  
"I'm so sorry Martin. I don't know what came over me." She whispered.  
  
Beth continued to apologize over and over, continuing to rub his back until the toddler's cries quieted down to a soft whimper. 


End file.
